A Forest Friend
by MementoOfDusk
Summary: Elsa makes a friend. An unlikely, scary-looking friend. Turns out the Enchanted Forest has more than a few secrets left to be uncovered. One shot. Set after Frozen 2. Tiny hints/possible Elsamaren. T for suggested nudity, just to be safe.


_The characters __and universe __included in this work are the sole property of Disney, __with the exception of one (no, I'm not talking about the reindeer, he doesn't even have a name), which you'll see soon enough__. I am making no money off of this derivative work of fiction._

* * *

A Forest Friend

Another day, another sunset in the Enchanted Forest, where the celestial body could finally be seen again after thirty-four years of mist and fog. For the Snow Queen Elsa, this was yet to be another sleepless night, another night spent roaming the wilds, much to Honeymaren's dismay. The Northuldra woman had been scared witless one morning, several weeks ago. When Elsa did not emerge from her tent, Honeymaren almost flew into a blind panic when just minutes later, Elsa appeared, looking tired but no worse for wear.

When Honeymaren asked where she'd been, she only said that she was watching the leaves fall from the trees. She'd made light of it, saying that there were plenty of leaves to see near camp, and Elsa just smiled. There was still so much that Elsa didn't know, and the Northuldra people had been nothing but welcoming and accommodating. She even found a friend in one of the reindeer, a shy male with very small antlers for a deer his age. Maren jokingly called him a baby, but Elsa rushed to his defense, stroking the beast's nose and demanding that she 'take that back' in the most serious tone she could muster with a wide, sympathetic grin on her face.

Before the sun retreated below the mountains, Elsa came upon the hot springs that the Northuldra frequented when one of their foraging groups gathered essential herbs. Deciding that a nice soak would be an ideal way to end the day, Elsa walked towards the mouth of one of the springs, took a quick glance around, then magically 'melted' her dress and sandals to sit in the hot water. One advantage to having ice powers was the ability to condition the water around her, so she sent out a small burst of magic to bring the temperature down a little. Honeymaren always poked gentle fun at this, saying that the purpose of the hot springs is for them to _be_ hot. Ryder, Honeymaren's brother, actually shared Elsa's sentiment; the springs could get close to scalding.

Once the water reached an optimal temperature, Elsa leaned back and wet her hair. She had always loved the smell of the hot springs, the mineral-rich water did wonders for the skin as well. Without the stress of ruling a country that she knew was only tenuously trusting of her, she felt as though she could finally let some semblance of her guard down.

Her thoughts could finally be her own, and how she would make the most of each day.

Though she knew Arendelle was in more than capable hands, Elsa still worried for Anna. Even in the best of times, stress was just a part of a ruler's day. She suspected Anna worried for her as well, though she always told her not to. Of course, trying to tell Anna to do anything was a fruitless venture if her heart wasn't in it. Soon, the kingdom would be celebrating a royal wedding, between Anna and Kristoff, the ice harvester who Anna recruited to bring her sister home after the Great Freeze.

For as long as she could remember, Elsa had dreamed of the day Anna would wed, and she could find no better partner than the one ruling beside her, even if he was a little odd. Despite her general dislike of crowds, she couldn't _wait_, to be there by Anna's side for the most important day of her life.

During one of Elsa's trips back to Arendelle, she had asked Anna what sort of dress she was looking to wear. In traditional Anna fashion, she not-so-smoothly asked Elsa if _she_ would be interested in making a dress with her enchanted ice. Poor Anna was completely unprepared for her sister's exuberant leap in her direction, wrapping her arms around her so tight that it almost hurt. Elsa had practically _squealed_ 'yes!', fists balled in pure excitement. Seeing the normally sedate Elsa bouncing with unbridled joy brought a laugh to the queen's heart.

Anna had remarked that she should have asked Elsa sooner, loving the playful side of her sister that few others saw. The queen worried that her regular body temperature might melt the dress, to which Elsa assured her that only _she_ could unmake her ice clothing. That would be the _least_ of her concerns.

The barely detectable skitter of tiny feet caught Elsa's attention. She opened her eyes and stared off to her left.

"Hello, Bruni," she greeted the fire spirit with a kind smile and a wave. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

The blue salamander chirped out his own little greeting. He then proceeded to lick his eyeball, grinning widely.

"Yeah, sorry, still don't know what that means," Elsa laughed.

Curiosity got the better of Bruni, and he tiptoed his way towards the spring. At first, Elsa wrapped her arms around her chest, a fierce blush blazing across her cheeks. As though he'd read her mind, he rolled his eyes, then wiggled his rear end and did a little twirl.

In other words, 'I'm _always_ naked. I don't care.'

"Okay, you're right," Elsa sighed, spreading her arms out to grip the rock once more. "It's just a little different for us humans."

Bruni spun around in a few small circles, then curled up to the edge of the spring, turning his back to Elsa. She grinned.

"That's very considerate of you. Thank you."

An affirmative chirp answered her before the salamander closed his eyes, eager to squeeze in some shut-eye near a heat source.

* * *

The soft hiss and hum of the hot springs was broken by a distant booming sound.

Elsa jerked upright, splashing her scaly companion with lukewarm water. He jumped, looking back at her with an indignant expression.

"S-sorry!" Elsa held her hand out, though she wasn't sure how it would help. "Did you hear that?"

The sound repeated. It was like a war horn, but louder, stronger, _organic_. Elsa stiffened in place, looking down at Bruni, who merely stared back.

"I've gotta check that out," she tried to convince herself that this was a good idea and as protector of the forest, her sacred duty. It certainly didn't mean she wasn't scared witless.

Within moments, Elsa left the spring and re materialized her dress she'd first created in Ahtohallen. She took in a deep breath, hoping it might give her the courage she needed to investigate. After her brief hesitation, weighing her options, she willed herself to move towards the sound.

"Bruni, stay here."

* * *

The booming only got louder as Elsa raced through the forest, occasionally tripping on underbrush and errant roots. She knew she should have summoned Nokk, but she was too far from a water source now. Her footfalls echoed the pounding of her heart, both from exertion and nerves. There was no telling what she would find once she reached the source of the sound.

A stitch in Elsa's side told her she needed to stop. When was the last time she'd ran like that? The spirit stumbled into a wide clearing within the forest, pressing her hand against a moss covered boulder. She observed the evening sky with a hint of trepidation; finding her way back would not be easy in the dark. She might have to wait until morning.

Even through her panting and gasping, Elsa could feel the vibration of the booming through the stone. At first, she though the rise in temperature was coming from within her own body. She placed one hand on her exposed collarbone, flooding her skin with a familiar coolness. That should have been a relief, had the air not suddenly grow thick and humid. Even after she'd cooled herself down, she struggled to breathe.

A cloud of black smoke trailed from the end of the clearing. It was unlikely to have been man made, not all the way out here. Elsa's heart sank as the scent of charcoal reached her.

"Fire?" she sniffed the air. "Is the forest...on fire?"

Elsa was answered by the booming sound, followed by thunderous vibrations of the earth. The smokescreen twirled and twisted, creating strange shapes that she swore were hallucinations. She could only see the thick smoke, and to the best of her knowledge, she could not hear the crackle of fire. Relief was short-lived as the smoke dissipated with a mighty gust, removing itself from a colossal object. It could have been an Earth giant, though they weren't generally given to such theatrics. The only problem was the object did not appear to be made of stone or roughly human shaped. Elsa released a breath once the object moved of its own volition.

Two massive, leathery wings stretched out like arms, striking a few branches as it flexed. Elsa could see the object, the _creature_ breathe, its deep chest filling and shrinking like a giant bellows. Lime green plates covered the belly of the beast, standing out against the darker, moss green of the body. A long neck was surrounded by a massive mane of brown fur, which lined the creature's back, all the way down to its whip-like tail. The beast's box-like, heavy head boasted a sharp nasal ridge, and one horn resting atop the nose. A magnificent crest of ivory horns decorated the skull, angled upward. The jaw was also decorated with horns, spiraling every which way. At the very top of the head was a stiff, lime green fin, notched in the front and pointed backward.

"W-what _are_ you?" Elsa whispered, one hand clutched over her chest.

Two great yellow eyes opened, the slit pupils growing ever thinner as the creature took in sight of the woman before it. Even before its maw opened, Elsa could clearly see its dagger teeth overlapping the bottom lip. It swished its tail impatiently, shifting its weight between its trunk-like, muscular legs, ending with three-toed feet and heavy claws on each toe.

Elsa remained still, reading the creature as best she could. The beast bore a striking resemblance to ancient depictions of dragons, though that couldn't be right. Dragons were a fairy tale, told about a hundred different ways by a hundred different people. They may have been a romantic notion, but they just didn't _exist_.

That's what she told herself.

As the beast puffed out an impatient, very _real_ gust of air and slowly advanced, leaving boulder sized footprints in the earth, those tales suddenly didn't seem quite so unbelievable. Another flex of its great wings, and the beast's mouth opened wide, its dagger teeth lined the jaws in comb-like rows. A plume of fire spewed from within the creature, the brilliant orange flames threatening to lick the canopies of the trees. A sonorous roar accompanied the fire, as though the creature was presenting itself, showing its full potential. The trees shook under the sound and might.

After its brief display, the creature paced closer, its upper lip curled in a wary snarl. A thick rivulet of saliva dripped from one exposed fang, landing soundlessly on the dirt. A deep, echoing rumble must have been the beast's voice, a growl that sounded as though it came from the bowels of the earth itself. Just the sound was enough to make the hairs on the back of Elsa's neck stand up. She scrunched up her shoulders, the beginnings of a cold sweat breaking out across her skin. She opened her mouth, but no words came out, only soft gasps for air.

Perhaps the creature sensed her fear, as it snorted, nostrils flared wide. In place of moist air, a blast of black smoke momentarily shrouded the creature's head. Even through the smokescreen, Elsa could clearly see its huge eyes glaring down at her like a prey animal. Fear churned her gut, causing a wave of nausea she desperately tried to suppress.

The _dragon_, for lack of a better word, seemed to have no soft edges to it at all. The end of its tail had a bony protrusion in the shape of an arrowhead, with a circular notch taken out of it. It whipped its tail, slicing off several boughs, which crashed to the ground with deafening bursts of sound. Elsa gasped, and her mind _screamed_ at her to abscond before this monstrosity could kill her, but her heels were dug into the earth. More branches and leaves were hacked away, littering the forest floor.

The beast was not relenting.

Neither would Elsa.

Sheer instinct prompted the Snow Queen to ready her magic in one hand. She willed her expression to match the ferocity of the beast's, even if her courage was failing. She curled her lip over her teeth, eyes hard and alert. The great beast stopped short at her warning display, boring its large eyes into hers. The pupils dilated, still slits, but not paper thin as before. The dragon cocked it head to the side, then flattened itself, walking with its wings as though they were legs. The throaty rumble bore a striking resemblance to a human's interrogatory hum.

Elsa wasn't yet confident about not becoming this giant's next meal, so she remained on her guard, icy magic glowing bright blue in her fist. She locked eyes with the beast, only allowing herself to blink when she absolutely had to. In response, the great creature gave a slow, lazy blink, an opaque white membrane passing over the eye before it shut. A slew of pinkish scars littered the creature's body, from long slashes to bite marks. Its left eye bore a vertical slash, though the eye itself seemed to be unaffected. Its nose was getting closer, and her magic began reacting to her adrenaline spike.

"S-stay back!"

Following her desperate shout, a row of icicles broke the ground and pointed towards the offending beast, snowflakes whirling around like a veil.

The dragon didn't even flinch. To Elsa's surprise, it followed the comparatively tiny snowflakes with its huge eyes, observing the icy crystals. She cringed when the beast's long tongue whipped out, snatching a few snowflakes that quickly turned to water against its hot breath. A few ragged, gasping breaths caught the beast's attention, who turned back to the spirit, frozen in place. She tried to stop herself from trembling, but her own animal fear took over for reason. She wanted to run, but she knew death would come swiftly before she could create enough distance between herself and it.

Another questioning rumble issued from the dragon's throat, and rather than tower over her, it laid its head flat against the earth, those same dagger teeth barely inches away from Elsa. The icicles melted almost instantly as the beast exhaled, inspiring another bolt of fear to crash through Elsa's heart.

"I'm warning y-you, _back off!_" she bristled, as much as a tiny human with no fangs or claws to speak of, could. In the back of her mind, she _knew_ she was tempting fate, telling off a creature that was easily thirty feet tall, to say nothing of its length and weight.

Still unaffected, the dragon folded its legs and wings like a resting bird, though the taut tendons looked ready to spring into action at any moment. Another puff of hot air from its nostrils tousled Elsa's hair. She eyed the creature, now shaking in earnest despite its seemingly neutral body language.

From behind her, Elsa heard a familiar chirping, though she didn't dare take her eyes off the giant.

"Bruni? Get out of here!" she hissed through her teeth.

The salamander blissfully ignored her, skittering up to the colossal beast with the nonchalance of approaching something familiar. He made a chortling noise, climbing up the dragon's nose. Terrified tears welled up in Elsa's eyes at the sight, especially when the beast's nostrils flared and its lip curled upward.

"What are you _doing?!_ You're gonna get killed!" she cried out, allowing herself to step cautiously towards the behemoth that held her friend's life in its claws. She held out her hands, goading the little spirit to return to her. "Get back here, _please!_"

What could only be described as a confused expression crossed Bruni's face. He eyed the beast whose nose he was currently perched, then turned his gaze back towards Elsa, chattering playfully. When that garnered no positive response from the panicked spirit, he licked his eyeball like before. The great dragon replicated the gesture, showering Bruni with a spray of saliva. With a startled shriek, the salamander shook himself off, giving the evil eye to the creature, who rumbled softly.

When it was clear neither Bruni nor the beast was getting through to Elsa, the little salamander descended the dragon's nose and skittered back to Elsa's awaiting hands. He gurgled, rolling around in her palms like the carefree little creature he was. Poor Elsa could do nothing but stare, torn between relief and primal terror. Bruni climbed up Elsa's shoulder, giving her cheek an affectionate nudge.

"Is it...is it _friendly?_" she asked the salamander, not really expecting an answer, but it was worth a try. "Do you know each other?"

The dragon gave another curious rumble, softening its gaze as best as a creature with limited facial expressions could. It licked its eyeball again, which gained a fraction of a smile from Elsa. The beast patiently observed the young woman, blinking slowly, deliberately. With little more than a scrap of courage, Elsa approached the beast's snout, one trembling hand outstretched. Bruni chattered, seemingly cheering her on.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she muttered. "If I die, I _will_ haunt you, Bruni, I _swear_."

The great beast cocked its head slightly, making a motion with its eyes as though it were rolling them. Could it understand her?

"Wait a minute," she retracted slightly. "Can you...hear me?"

A slow, gentle nod and an affirmative grunt confirmed her suspicions. Elsa clapped a hand to her mouth, earning a questioning rumble.

"You can understand me?"

Another patient nod. With little more than a deep breath, Elsa stepped forward, placing her ice cold hand on the dragon's nose. A few involuntary snowflakes whirled overhead, landing with a soft hiss on the beast's snout. Water cascaded through the dragon's scales, dampening the earth below. The beast hummed with a soft exhalation.

"What are..._who_ are you?"

Slowly, the dragon lifted its head, making deliberate movements that Elsa could easily track and react to. It stepped backwards, then reared up just a little, looking down at the spirit with what looked like the dragon equivalent of a smile. Its lip was curled up, but so was the corner of its mouth. It gave that same curious hum. The dragon folded its wings and lowered its head in what looked like a bow, rumbling gently. Upon reflex, Elsa bowed back.

"You're a dragon, aren't you?" Elsa knew the question sounded silly, especially when she was staring said dragon right in the face. "I didn't–I didn't think you were real."

A kindly rumble issued from the creature's throat. It raised one wing, bringing its massive talon right next to Elsa's face. She stiffened, causing the creature to stop. It blinked with a soft snuffle, then resumed. Elsa shut her eyes, praying that she'd live another day to retell this story.

Moments later, she felt a hard, warm object touching her cheek. Allowing one eye to open, she saw the razor sharp talon not boring into her flesh, but gently stroking it. How a giant, sharp-edged creature such as this could be so feather soft in its touch would forever mystify the young spirit.

"H–hi there," Elsa broke out into nervous laughter. She followed every minute action of the creature. The dragon's head bobbed slightly, a staccato trill following the gesture. She was no expert on dragon behavior, if such a thing was, but this looked eerily similar to laughter.

Another rumble left the creature's throat, but this time, it wasn't an animal sound. Its voice became clear, harmonic. It formed a tune, a song Elsa was very familiar with.

The siren's call.

Against all reason, Elsa answered the call with her own voice. A simple, four note tune delivered in a clear, confident voice despite her residual unease. The dragon's eyes lit up, and it mouth opened. Chirps and gurgles not dissimilar to Bruni's resonated through the clearing. Again, Elsa sang the tune, with the great beast following suit. She watched its massive throat expand and retract to create the sound. Her mother had never mentioned a dragon that knew the siren's song before in her old lullaby. Perhaps this tune was even older than Elsa thought.

The forest echoed with the harmonizing, with Elsa's vocalizations becoming more and more elaborate as time went on. The dragon copied her vocals, in its own low, deep voice. After a few more musical exchanges, the dragon's head pointed skyward, bellowing out the siren call with a brilliant flourish of its great wings.

This time, Elsa did not flinch. Against all reason, she was _not_ paralyzed by fear or uncertainty. An intense radiation of joy surrounded the creature, as though it had been waiting its whole life for this moment. She couldn't help her awestruck gasp, nor the starry look in her eyes as she beheld the creature's majesty. They had never met before this day, but the Snow Queen knew in her heart that this was no accident. She was meant to hear the call. She was meant to investigate the call. She was meant to meet this..._dragon_.

The dragon brought its head back down to Elsa's height. A low grumble and a few snuffles prompted her to grasp the beast's nose with both hands. The great dragon shut its eyes, drinking in the spirit's essence. Its humid breath wasn't suffocating like before; rather, it filled Elsa with a cozy warmth. The tip of a long, purple tongue left an affectionate 'kiss' on Elsa's nose. She giggled at the display.

"You're something else," she remarked, eyeing the various scars and scrapes the beast's skin collected. She ran her hand over the scars on its mouth, connecting upper and lower jaw with lines of pinkish, scaleless flesh. A curious gurgle responded to her touch. The dragon nudged her hand gently.

"What is it?"

The mighty dragon's nose made contact with Elsa's hand again, pushing it upward. At least their biggest problem was a language barrier and not the imminent threat of death. The spirit looked down at her hand, then back towards the creature. Bruni, who had been sitting on Elsa's shoulder, chattered with excitement.

"Do you want me to do the magic?"

An enthusiastic nod answered her in the affirmative. She thought for a few moments, then conjured her ice magic and let her fingers do the rest. The blue aura from her hands swirled in the air, obscured by a cloud of snowflakes. The dragon watched, wide eyes fixated on the light show.

A small burst sent the snowflakes away, revealing a miniature, lithesome dragon made entirely of ice. Instead of leathery wings, this dragon sported feathers, soft-looking but just as hard as the rest of it. Its horns formed circular spirals, like overly elaborate antlers. Two huge fangs drooped over the sides of its mouth. The eyes were the same color as the rest of the dragon, ice blue. A feather crown adorned the top of the head, as well as the breast. The dragon changed shape, shimmering as it did so.

When the ice dragon met the fire dragon, the feathered beast did a few somersaults, spraying the large dragon's nose with snow. It melted instantly, simply turning to water against the hot skin. The yellow eyes of the large dragon crinkled, and that same staccato laughter issued from its open mouth. The icy dragon flew high into the sky, well above the tree canopies, then seemed to explode, raining down as snow. Bruni climbed to the top of Elsa's head to catch a few flakes for himself. Several curious rumbles from the dragon followed the sudden snowstorm, earning a few laughs from Elsa.

"Did you like it?" she asked.

A few more nods from the great beast answered her question.

"I'm glad. Magic isn't so scary once you get used to it," she mused, taking another long look at her hands. "I wish I'd known that _years_ ago."

Elsa felt the beast's talon make contact with her once more, this time, lifting her chin up with an impossible softness given the mass of the creature. It hummed, a tender smile curling its lip, which Elsa couldn't help but return. She couldn't know exactly what the creature was trying to say, but she felt a clear connection looking into those golden orbs that she had been terrified of before.

After a few moments of silent reflection, the great dragon reared to its full height, taking a few steps backward. With nothing else to be said, the beast leaped into the air, flapping its massive wings. A great gust of wind blew through the clearing, rattling the very earth. It let out a mighty roar before passing well beyond where Elsa could see.

The forest floor began to glow, but only in a thin line. The line led from where Elsa was standing to the beginning of the clearing, and beyond. Whether this was the dragon's doing or not was irrelevant; she could find her way home. It _had_ to be the way home.

"Oh my God. I have to tell Yelena."

* * *

"Goodness sake, slow down, child," Yelena chided, unused to seeing Elsa look so flustered. "What did you say you saw?"

"A dragon!" Elsa shouted, as though the woman were deaf. "It was _huge_, and it came right up to me, then Bruni walked up to it and I thought for sure-"

A pair of firm, strong hands gripped Elsa's shoulders, and when Elsa became of sound enough mind to realize it, the old woman was smiling.

"I thought I heard something strange. We haven't seen hide or tail of that beast since well before the mist," Yelena mused.

"W–wait, you _knew_ about it?"

To the spirit's surprise, Yelena laughed.

"Only _you_ could rediscover the ancient warden of the forest," the wise woman chuckled. "Elsa, that dragon has been here since long before the Northuldra existed. He may be as old as the earth, for all I know."

"But why is he here _now?_"

"I don't have all the answers. I'm a wise woman, not a prophet. Maybe he's come to inspect the newest Fifth Spirit."

"There was another Fifth Spirit?"

"Yes, you were not the first, and you won't be the last," the old woman confirmed. "If anything, I'd take the encounter as a compliment. Especially since he didn't kill you."

Elsa gave a weak chuckle. Her depleted adrenaline rush, coupled with the reminder that she could have been seconds from death, left a dizzy sensation in her head. She staggered slightly, just barely catching herself before Yelena made the motions to do so.

"Come, get some rest," Yelena guided Elsa to her tent. "I imagine that's enough excitement for some time, don't you?"

The Fifth Spirit of the forest squirmed under the scrutiny. It seemed Yelena had eyes everywhere.

"Oh, don't look so guilty. I'm not going to tell you your business, but I would ask that wherever you go, be careful. You're not invincible, and I shudder to face Queen Anna if something were to happen to you."

Elsa couldn't help herself; maybe it was out of relief that she was still alive, but she began to laugh at the thought of the tiny redhead screaming her fool head off at Yelena. The wise woman could stop a rowdy reindeer with naught but a glare, but _Anna's_ wrath was a cause for alarm? Yelena lifted a brow, silently asking what was so funny.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Elsa struggled to get her giggles under control. "It's—it's just a really funny image. You know, _Anna_, shouting at you. I mean, we are talking about the same person, right?"

A smile worked its way into Yelena's eyes, despite the severity in her voice.

"Well, even so, your sister is a formidable woman, and might I add, the Queen of Arendelle. I would not want her as my enemy for any reason."

The spirit couldn't help but feel guilty for laughing; of _course_ her sister was strong, but she saw the side of Anna few others did; the goofy, clumsy, 'drools in her sleep' side. Yelena, however, was not privy to that.

"Are you afraid of her?"

"I don't fear her, but I _do_ respect her," Yelena declared. "She has been through a great deal of pain to get to where she is today."

"Tell me something I _don't_ know," Elsa's gaze pointed downward.

To speak so frankly to the wise woman would ordinarily have been interpreted as insolence, but Yelena _knew_ she was treading on thin ice. The sisters' separation was still a very sensitive subject for Elsa.

"What I mean to say is, her pain has made her strong. It wasn't for nothing," the wise woman explained, her voice much softer. "She may be your little sister, but she's grown into a strong young woman."

"She's stronger than I am," Elsa admitted. "I love her more than _anything_ in this world."

"Of course. You don't need eyes to see that," Yelena's maternal tone reminded Elsa of her own mother, though the wise woman's tone was a bit more abrasive. "And it's that same love that makes this work, you in the forest, and the Queen in Arendelle. You are both the bridge."

"Wouldn't that make Anna the Fifth Spirit as well?"

"You certainly have a lot of questions tonight," Yelena remarked. "Well, meeting a dragon would shake my world view, for certain. I suppose in a way, yes. I've never heard of two people sharing the title at once, but stranger things have happened."

"Like meeting an ancient dragon on a whim."

"You've a fine sense of humor," the wise woman chuckled. "It's no wonder you and Maren get along so well."

At the mention of Honeymaren, Elsa blushed. Yelena's eagle eyes didn't miss a beat. It would have been easy to tease her about it, but the old woman let the matter be, giving a knowing smile.

"Well, in any case, rest up. The forest is full of secrets, and you've got the rest of your life to discover them. Maybe you'll discover more about yourself as well."

With that, Yelena exited Elsa's tent, leaving her to contemplate the day's events.

* * *

"Elsa? Hey, it's me, Maren. Can I come in?"

The blonde pricked her ears towards the voice coming from the flap of her tent.

"Yeah," she called back. Elsa struck a piece of flint against the logs in a small dirt pit, knowing that her guest wasn't immune to the cold. She opened the flue at the top of her tent.

Within seconds, Maren had slipped in and shut the flap to Elsa's dwelling.

"Something up?" Elsa asked.

"You tell me," Honeymaren gave a playful glare. "That's the most I've seen Yelena talk to _anyone_, and she's not given to small talk. Is...is everything okay?"

Elsa hesitated to answer; Maren could see through any lie she told, but that may have been because Elsa was an exceptionally _bad_ liar with an _awful_ guilty conscience. She also knew that what she would say would sound crazy beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"Everything's fine, Maren."

"But?"

"Does there always have to be a 'but'?"

"With you, yes," Honeymaren jabbed. "C'mon, spill."

"Well, I was going to the hot springs, Bruni followed me, and I..._kind_ of somehow ran into an ancient dragon that's supposedly the warden of the forest," Elsa blazed through the last part of her sentence.

Maren's eyes widened, and she stared.

"Wait, wait, wait, you just _happened_ upon Lichenblaze?"

"I know it sounds...wait, who?"

The brunette chuckled softly.

"It's the name my ancestors gave him, roughly translated. Not terribly creative, I admit. I don't know what he'd call himself."

"Maren, I didn't even know dragons _existed_ until today. Have you seen him before?" Elsa asked.

"No, I _wish!_ I've only seen drawings and heard stories," Honeymaren complained. "I can't believe you got to _meet_ him! And you're still _alive_."

"Thanks for that," Elsa made a face, but Maren was unaffected by the spirit's candor. "Well, I could describe him for you. It was an...interesting encounter."

"I'll bet! Well, don't leave me hanging!" seeing the normally calm Northuldra woman this excited caused a peal of laughter from Elsa.

"Okay, okay. Hey, I bet I could make him out of ice," Elsa twirled her hands and a familiar blue glow lit up the tent. "You ready?"

"Yes!"

Just as Elsa was about to craft the image of the great beast she'd encountered, a low hum filled her ears. It was quiet at first, slowly gaining volume as she looked around her tent.

"Elsa?"

"Do you hear that?" the spirit shouted over the noise in her head.

Honeymaren jumped, then shook her head, eyes wide with worry.

"Why are you yelling? I don't hear _anything_."

Elsa was not a stranger to voices only she could hear, but _sounds_ only she was privy to startled her just a bit more. Before she could think to panic, the humming quieted to a soft lull, like a river passing over rocks.

Within Elsa's mind, a deep, weathered voice echoed.

_'__Fifth Spirit of the Forest. Hear my word and listen well. I did not expect to __see you today__. I have been waiting for the day we would have a Fifth Spirit again, after illness took our last, and the cursed dam sent a decades-long fog through the sacred wood.'_

The voice could be likened to a great waterfall; powerful, and resonant. Elsa had never heard this voice before, but it spoke with familiarity. Rapt, the Snow Queen continued to listen, drowning out Maren's attempts to bring her back to reality.

_'__I have seen you, human. You feared me, as most would. But rather than allow your fear to dictate your actions, you placed your trust in our mutual friend, and by extension, in me. __There is no question, t__he North__ern__ blood __flows through your veins__, as does a magic older than mankind itself. You have impressed me, little spirit, __and I am not so easily moved.__'_

Realization was slow to come to Elsa, but there was no mistake who this voice belonged to. A sort of paralysis overtook her, though she remained fully aware, and completely unafraid. She soaked in the words of a wise, powerful being that she could not currently see, but _feel_.

'_Your being here is no coincidence. __The birds, who are my eyes, h__ave seen your exploits, __even beyond my forest,__ and the trials your sister has faced as well. Never before did the title of Fifth Spirit belong to two people at once, but I __would be remiss not __to make an exception in your case. __My will is law, Northblood Sisters.__ Elsa, Snow Queen of the Forest, and Anna, __Summer __Queen of Arendelle, you both carry the mantle of the Fifth Spirit now.'_

_ '__I imagine you are wondering why I did not speak to you in person. Quite simply, you could __not__ hear me. Your fear, though lessened, blocked my voice. Even the most stone-faced human is more expressive than a dragon, and I am aware how important visual cues are to your kind. __I imagine that scents do not work as well in the human world as a means of communication.__'_

In her mind, Elsa swore she heard a gentle chuckle.

_'__I hope w__e will meet again, on better terms than last. Perhaps you could persuade your sister to meet me as well. I feel your __shared__ energy, as __strong__ as the bridge you two are, but to see you both as one would be __an__ honor. After spending so __many years__ from your kind, I have __forgotten that you__ mortals __are capable of __astounding things. __You give me hope when __all was lost, and now, all is found__.__ Farewell for now, Snow Queen __Elsa, __and do give my regards to Her Majesty Queen Anna__.' _

The voice disappeared.

"Elsa? Hey, are you okay?"

The blonde focused her attention on Maren, who looked as though she'd begun to panic. Elsa frowned; Honeymaren didn't lose her composure easily.

"Oh, you're back," Maren breathed a sigh of relief. "You looked like you were someplace far away."

"I...I was, but it's okay," Elsa smiled, heart confident in her words for the first time in a while. "Spirit stuff, I guess."

The Northuldra woman smiled.

"I understand."

"Well, I won't keep you waiting any longer," Elsa turned her attention back to creating a show of lights and ice, retelling her encounter with the colossal beast.

The rest of the night was spent talking about the forest warden, how the runt reindeer found a male herd mate that he'd grown attached to, and when Elsa would be able to 'smuggle in' some more chocolate. Ryder's sweet tooth was almost as bad as Anna's, and if he raided his sister's stash one more time, Elsa feared he wouldn't survive.

In the distance, a great dragon stood, observing the magic show as though he were right in front of it.

He smiled.

_fin_

* * *

_Closing notes: Frozen needed dragons. I threw one in. The dragon is totally made up by myself, I tried to work it around Frozen 2 canon. As for dragons speaking, I'm on the fence about it. It works in Skyrim, when they are revealed to be highly intelligent, autonomous beings, but by the same token, it wouldn't work with the How To Train Your Dragon franchise, because that would inject too much familiarity. If viking and dragon could talk to each other, it would be a totally different dynamic, dragons are supposed to be like animals with animal instincts, but smart and empathetic like people. Words and language (understandable by humans, anyway) aren't necessary for these traits. I don't know which direction this takes, but as a forest guardian, I imagine he's been around long enough to learn some human languages._


End file.
